Buhari hosts Masari, emirs to dinner
To host el-Rufa’i today
President Muhammadu Buhari last night hosted Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari and emirs from the state to a dinner at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The emirs included those of Katsina and Daura, Alhaji Abdulmumin Kabir and Alhaji Farouk Umar Farouq.
A presidency source hinted that the emirs and the governor visited the Villa for a private dinner with the president.
The source added that some federal lawmakers from Katsina State also attended the dinner.
The president is expected to host Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai today.
A source at the Presidency told our correspondent yesterday that the governor would join President Buhari for Juma’at prayer inside the State House mosque.
The source, who asked not to be named, also hinted that Buhari and el-Rufai might also have a closeddoor meeting “either before or after the prayer.”
This is the first time el-Rufai would be visiting the Presidential Villa since Buhari’s return from a medical vacation in the United Kingdom on March 10.
Buhari was received in Kaduna on arrival from the vacation by Kaduna State deputy governor, Bala Bantex as el-Rufai was absent at the time.
The president was however not in his office yesterday.
A top presidency official, who preferred anonymity, told Daily Trust that there was no programme in the president’s itinerary.
But Daily Trust reports that the leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, was earlier scheduled to visit the president yesterday.
The Senate leader was, however, not sighted at the Presidential Villa yesterday.
It would be recalled that the president was absent at the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, sparking speculation about a relapse of his health condition.
Information Minister Lai Mohammed had explained to State House reporters that the president was attending to other issues at his residence, while the FEC meeting was on.